Portulacaria

Portulacaria
Portulacaria afra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Didiereaceae
Subfamily:	Portulacarioideae
Genus:	Portulacaria Jacq.

Portulacaria is a genus of succulent plant, classified in its own subfamily Portulacarioideae in the family Didiereaceae. It is indigenous to southern Africa.

Taxonomy

The genus was previously placed in the family Portulacaceae, but according to molecular studies is part of Didiereaceae.

It has further been revised when phylogenetic tests showed conclusively that genus Ceraria was located within Portulacaria, and all Ceraria species have consequently been renamed and moved into this genus.^[1]

Species

Portulacaria pygmaea (formerly Ceraria pygmaea)

Species include:

• Portulacaria afra Jacq.
• Portulacaria armiana E. J. Van Jaarsveld
• Portulacaria carrissoana. Previously Ceraria carrissoana Excell & Mendonca
• Portulacaria fructiculosa. Previously Ceraria fructiculosa Pearson & Stephens
• Portulacaria longipedunculata. Previously Ceraria longipedunculata Merxm & Podlech
• Portulacaria namaquensis. Previously Ceraria namaquensis Sond.
• Portulacaria pygmaea. Previously Ceraria pygmaea Pillans

Uses

Portulacaria afra normally uses C₃ (or Hatch-Slack) carbon fixation but is also able to switch to CAM carbon fixation when drought stressed.

It is a local delicacy and its leaves are eaten by the local peoples. It is also popular internationally as a garden plant.^[2]

References

1. P.Bruyns, M.Oliveira-Neto, G.F. Melo de Pinna, C.Klak: Phylogenetic relationships in the Didiereaceae with special reference to subfamily Portulacarioideae. Taxon 63 (5). October 2014. 1053-1064.
2. Guralnick, L. J.; Ting, I. P. (1987). "Physiological Changes in Portulacaria afra (L.) Jacq. during a Summer Drought and Rewatering". Plant Physiology. 85 (2): 481–6. doi:10.1104/pp.85.2.481. PMC 1054282. PMID 16665724.

External links

• Portulacaria afra, the Elephant's Food or Spekboom: a monograph which contains some of the areas of both knowledge and ignorance pertaining to this plant, by Robert J. Baran, 1999-2010